A sessions court in Chennai has handed a life imprisonment sentence to Gnanasekaran, the man convicted of sexually assaulting a student on the Anna University campus. The verdict, delivered by Mahila Court Judge M Rajalakshmi, mandates that the convict must serve a minimum of 30 years in prison before being considered for remission or early release. Alongside the sentence, a fine of ₹90,000 was also imposed. The court’s strict order reflects the gravity of the crime, which occurred on December 23, 2023, and shocked the academic community and general public alike.

In response to serious lapses during the early stages of the investigation, the Madras High Court had directed the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by three women IPS officers—Dr Bhukya Sneha Priya, Ayman Jamal, and S Brinda. The High Court’s intervention came after the highly sensitive FIR related to the assault was leaked, resulting in the disclosure of the victim’s identity. Taking note of this violation, the court also ordered the Tamil Nadu government to provide ₹25 lakh as interim compensation to the survivor for the trauma and breach of privacy caused by the leak.

The Supreme Court later stepped in, staying the High Court’s directive that called for a departmental enquiry into the alleged FIR leak by the Tamil Nadu police. While the top court’s ruling halted further disciplinary proceedings for now, the Chennai sessions court’s judgment underscores a zero-tolerance stance on sexual crimes within educational institutions. The outcome of this case sets a precedent for sensitive handling of such matters in the future and highlights the judiciary’s commitment to ensuring justice for victims of gender-based violence.